Janil Puthucheary on advancing mental health

Mental health exists on a spectrum and requires a comprehensive approach involving the entire Government and society, said Senior Minister of State for Health Janil Puthucheary in Parliament on Wednesday (Feb 7). He said Singapore is shifting the focus of care into the community to make it easier for people to find the help they need, ensure that interventions are effective and drive a shift in attitude towards mental health. The introduction of a four-tier system of care reflects a more nuanced and responsive approach to mental health support, said Dr Janil. He spoke about how support will be expanded across the different tiers. This includes increasing access to mental health services at polyclinics and GP clinics; creating more community outreach and intervention teams (known as CREST and COMIT), including those catering to youths; reviewing the need to regulate clinical psychologists; building up a substantial pool of capabilities at all levels - including peer supporters and frontline personnel - to identify mental health needs and provide support; training service providers to support individuals experiencing moderate symptoms of mental health conditions; and expanding hospital and long-term care capacity to meet the needs of those with severe and chronic conditions. Dr Janil added that there is also room for non-medical interventions such as art-based interventions to play a bigger part in promoting mental well-being.